Corn-planter.



Patented out. 24, |899.

No. 635,54l.

F. c. HARwoon, c. c. LEEnLE & s. L. REED.

CORN PLANTER.

(Application led Jan. 20, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

'Win/:.5555 6 No. 635,544. Ptenfed om. 24, 1899. F. c. HAnwoon, c. c. LEEDLE & a. L. REED.

CORN PLANTER.

(Appncat on a1 d .nu 2o 1899) (N0 MOdSL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

www/ Ess is THE-alms UEM co. mow-Limo., wAamNcn'oN. nl c.

.1.1 rrEn STATES PATEN Fri E.

FRANK C. HARVOOD, CHARLES C. LEEDLE, AND GEORGE L. REED, OF

SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE A. C. EVANS MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CORN-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,541, dated October 24, 1899. Application filed January 20, 1899. Serial No. 702,785, (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK C. HARwooD, CHARLES C. LEEDLE, and GEORGE L. REED, citizens of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Planters, of which thefollowin g is a specificatiomreference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in corn-planters generally, and in particular to a drilling attachment therefor.

The essential object in View in this attachment is to so construct the same that the seeding devices may be continuously operated from the driving-axle or may be arrested whenever it is desired to discontin ue drilling, such arresting or suspension being effected by a clutch and a clutch-throw-out device operated by the driver without stopping the machine, such throw-out device acting t'o break the transmission of motion from the axle to the dropper-shaft, which operates the seeding devices.

This invention also relates to details of construction hereinafter appearing, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, on which like reference letters and numerals indicate corresponding parts, Figure l is a plan view showing a portion of a corn-planter with our improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2, a similar View to Fig. l on a much enlarged scale; Fig. 3, an end View..showing our improvements, on an enlarged scale, and their connection with the dropper-shaft, such shaft being in section; Fig. 4, a transverse sectional Viewr on the line @c of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5 is a detail face view of the movable clutch member; Fig. 5a, an edge view of the same; Fig. 6, a detail face view showing the xed member of said clutch; Fig. 6a, an edge View of the same; and Fig. 7, a side elevation more fully illustrating our invention, particularly the lever by which the clutch members are separated.

The letter A represents a portion of the main driving shaft or axle of a corn-planter,

'mounted in and adapted to b e rotated by a suitable carrying-wheel B. The shaft A has rigidly mounted upon it a sprocket-wheel C and also a side rail D, forming a portion of the frame structure of the machine proper. To the under side of this side rail and a short distance in advance of the driving-wheel is secured a casting F by means of bolts E. This casting is a channel-iron and fits about said side rail and has a hub G projecting from each side and vfrom beneath, in which lits a short shaft H. On the outer end of this shaft is mounted a sprocket-wheel I and on its inner end a clutch J, having two members K and N. The member K of said clutch is keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to the shaft H by means of a piu L, which passes through the fixed clutch and through the shaft. It will be observed that the fixed member K is cupped out or recessed around the shaft for a portion of its length, as shown at M. The other member N of the clutch is loosely mounted on the shaft H and has an extension O, which lits within the recess of the stationary member. From Fig. 4 it willbe seen that the loosely-mounted clutch member N is also cupped or recessed, as shown at P. This is for the purpose of receiving a spring Q therein, said spring bearing against a shoulder R in said loosely-mounted clutch. The other end of the spring has a bearing against a cap S, which is keyed or otherwise secured to the inner end of the shaft and which preferably projects slightly within the recess P of the clutch member N. Each of the inner faces of these clutch members carry clutch-teeth T and U, respectively. As the spring Q acts on the clutch member N its clutch-teeth U are thrown into engagement with the clutchteeth T of the Xed member and are normally held in such position.

A crank-stud V projects inward from the loosely-mounted clutch member and is provided with a shoulder W, against which lits one end of a pitman X, said pitrnan being bored out to lit the reduced portion of the crank-stud. A Cotter-pin Y holds the pitman on said crank-stud. The other endof this pitman is connected with a slightly-curved arm 2 by means of a pin 3. This curved arm is attached to the dropper-shaft, which operates the seed-dropping mechanism, by means of a bolt 4, which acts to bind the extensions a snugly against the hexagonal dropper-shaft. In order to obtain the proper throw of the arm, we have constructed the pitman in two parts 5 and (i. The part 5 is adapted to screw into the part G varying distances, which will shorten or lengthen the pitman, as desired, and consequently will vary the movement of the dropper-shaft.

W'e will now refer to the mechanism for throwing the loose clutch N out of engagement with the fixed clutch K.

To the projection 7 from the casting F is pivoted a lever 8. This lever is slotted, as shown in Fig. 4 at 0. The slotted portion of the lever is preferably at right angles to the pivoted portion. Through this slot extends a projection 10, extending from a ring-like lever 11, pivoted within the bifurcated end of a projection 12, projecting from the casting F. By pivoting this ring-like lever in this manner it is permitted to readily swing toward and away from the side rail D of the frame structure, but is held from dropping down at its inner end by reason of its fitting snugly between the bifurcations of said projection. The ring portion of the lever extends around the clutch and engages with a flange 13, projecting from the loosely-mounted member N of the clutch. A rib 14 projects inward from the ring portion of said lever and is adapted to rest on top of the Bange above mentioned. In order to disengage the clutch members, a foot of the operatoris placed upon the lever 8 and pushed downward, which causes the ringlike lever to press the loose clutch outward. In order to limit the movement of said movable clutch away from the fixed clutch, the extension 15 of the lever 8 is adapted to come in contact with the side bar D of the frame. As soon as the foot is taken off from this lever the spring Q, pressing inward on said loose clutch, will cause the ring-like lever to move inward, thereby raising on the foot-lever by reason of the projection 10 extending through the inclined slot 9. Thus the lever moves back automatically in the proper position for the operator to again throw the clutches out of engagement with each other when desired.

It will be understood, of course, that in turning around at the ends of rows or driving to or away from the field the droppershaft must remain stationary, as otherwise the machine would continue to drill the corn. By this improved arrangement of ours We are enabled to stop the motion of the droppershaft whenever desired, so that no corn is wasted. Then, again, by our improved construction there is a smoothness in running not heretofore attained, as devices designed for this general purpose have employed springs, together with slotted lever-arms, dsc., for permitting the pitman to move in one direction without operating the dropper-shaft;

' but this arrangement is noisy and jars the machine to such an extent that it has been found to be objectionable.

"When it is desired to use the machine for planting the corn in hills instead of drilling it, the bolt 3 is removed and the pitman disconnected from the dropper-shaft.

It will be understood that our improved drill attachment is operated by means of a sprocket-chain 16, which passes around the large sprocket-wheel C of the main drivingshaft and around the sprocket-Wheel I and secured to the outer end of the drill-attachment shaft H.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a drill attachment for corn-planters, the combination with a main frame and dropper-shaft, of a clutch supported by said frame, a pitman having one of its ends connected with said clutch and its other end with the dropper-shaft, means for driving said clutch, and other means for disengaging said clutch from its driving means, at the will of the operator,substantially as shown and described.

2. In a drill attachment for corn-planters, the combination with a main frame and a droppershaft, of a two-part clutch supported by said frame, a pitman connected at one end to one of said clutch members and atits other end to the dropper-shaft, means for rotating said clutch, and other means for dsengaging said clutch members whereby said pitman will re main idle, substantially as shown and described.

3. 1n a drill attachment for corn-planters, the combination with a main frame and dropper-shaft, a clutch-shaft supported by said frame and carrying a two-part clutch, one member of which is secured thereto, and a driven sprocket-wheel, a pitman connected at one end to said dropper-shaft and at its other end to one of said clutch members, a throwout lever adapted to engage with the loose members of the clutch, and a foot-lever adapted to engage with the throw-out lever to cause it to disengage the loose member of said clutch and thereby prevent the movement of the pitman and dropper-shaft.

4. `In a drill attachment for corn-planters, the combination with a main frame, of a drill attachment carried bysaid frame and composed of a shaft having a two-part clutch and a sprocket-wheel mounted thereon, one of said clutch members being secured thereto, a bifurcated projection extending from said drill attachment, and having a throw-out lever lpivoted therein, said lever adapted to engage with said loose member of said clutch to throw it out of engagement with the fixed member, a slotted foot-lever pivoted near one end to said drill attachment, said throw-out lever extending within the slot of said footlever, a crank stud or projection extending from one face of the loose member of the clutch, and a pitman fitting upon said stud IOO IIO

and also connected with the dropper-shaft, and a spring for returning the loose clutch to engagementwith the fixed clutch, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a drill attachment, for corn-planters, the combination with'a main frame, of a casting secured thereto carrying a shaft, a.

sprocket-Wheel secured to said shaft, a clutch also carried by said shaft composed of two members, one of which is keyed thereto and the other of which is loosely mounted thereon, said keyed member being cupped out or recessed a portion of its width about said shaft, and said loosely-mounted member having a projection extending within said recess, and also cupped or recessed about said shaft, a cap mounted on said shaft, a spring between said cap and the loosely-mounted clutch member, and within the recess in said member, a flange projecting from the outerperiphery of said member and a throw-out lever adapted to engage with said flange to support the clutch members, said clutch members having clutch-teeth which are normally held in engagement with each other by said spring, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a drill attachment for corn-planters, the combination with a main frame, of a casting secured thereto and carrying a drivingshaft, a sprocket-wheel mounted on said shaft and adapted to receive motion from amain driving-shaft, a clutchalso mounted thereon and having a fast and a loose member, each of said members being cupped or recessed about the shaft, an annular projection from said loose member adapted to extend within the recess of said fixed member, a spring Within the recess in said loose member, and means to hold it under compression whereby it will act to throw said loose member in engagement with said fixed member; a foot-lever, slotted throughout a portion of its length, pivoted to said frame; and a throw-out lever adapted to engage with the loose member and project within the slot of said foot-lever, whereby when the foot-lever is pressed downward the loose member will be thrown out of engagement with the fixed member andsaid spring will return said levers to their normal position. f

7. In a drill attachment for corn-planters, the combination with a main frame, a cast- -ing attached thereto forming a portion of the drill attachment, a shaft carried by said casting, a bifurcated projection extending inward from said casting and another vbifurcated projection extending downward from said casting, a clutch mounted on said shaft and having a Afixed and a loose member, a throw-out lever pivoted in said bifurcated projection, a foot-lever pivoted in said downward bifurcated projection and havingaslot therein, said throw-out lever extending within said slot and adapted to throw said loose member out of engagement with said fixed member when the foot-lever is pressed downward, and an extension from said foot-lever adapted to engage with the frame of the machine'to limit the downward movement of the foot-lever, and a spring adapted to return the. loosely-mounted clutch member into contact with said fixed member, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK C. I-IARWOOD. CHARLES C. LEEDLE. GEORGE Ii. REED.

Witnesses:

' B. BLACKBURN EsTERLrNE,

W. M. MONAIR. 

